Killswitch Engage

Killswitch Engage’s music pulls no punches. It’s fast, heavy and doesn’t let up. Yet somehow this Massachusetts band was tapped to headline the Taste of Chaos tour with My Chemical Romance and The Used, two hardcore punk-rock bands that share Killswitch’s tendency to have fun on stage. Case in point: guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, who does more than lay down killer licks — he entertains. The six-foot-plus blond has appeared on stage in a wrestling mask, Daisy Duke jean shorts, and a chicken suit (but not all at the same time). He’s out to get a laugh. He and vocalist Howard Jones and drummer Justin Foley (both of Blood Has Been Shed) don’t take themselves too seriously.

Killswitch Engage is a metal band that sings about the good things — love, loyalty, friends — much like posi hardcore bands. But unlike Champion, Killswitch Engage slays. The band even opened for Slayer earlier this year. You can’t find more slay-age than that.